


Skin And Bones // Please Let Us Know

by NicoAndTheNineGalaxies



Series: Vent Fics [7]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Angst, Anorexia, Based on Real Events, Eating Disorders, M/M, vent fic, you don't need to read if you don't want to
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-04
Updated: 2019-02-04
Packaged: 2019-10-22 02:38:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17654459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NicoAndTheNineGalaxies/pseuds/NicoAndTheNineGalaxies
Summary: (Warning signs.  And if they’d paid any attention, they would’ve seen that those warning signs weren’t little at all.)(Okay, that’s enough food for today.  No, I don’t want any more.  Yes, I’m hungry, but no one needs to know.)(How many calories was that?  God, it doesn’t even matter.  It was too much anyway.)





	Skin And Bones // Please Let Us Know

**Author's Note:**

> major tw for anorexia.
> 
> this is just a vent fic, based on my own experiences. no need to read this if you don't want to.
> 
> galaxy ||-//

It started slowly - nothing any of them would notice, at first.

How Virgil would only ever eat half of what he was given when they went out, how he always had a water bottle and a pack of gum on him at any given moment, how he would refuse any food his friends offered him.

Little things.

_ (Warning signs.  And if they’d paid any attention, they would’ve seen that those warning signs weren’t little at all.) _

It was when he refused to eat altogether that they started getting worried.  As he sat across the table from Patton and Logan, next to Roman, sipping his ice water, Logan had leaned over to Patton.

_ (Are they talking about me?  They must be talking about me.) _

“When was the last time you saw Virgil eat something?” He whispered, trying not to draw attention to them.

Patton frowned.  “I...I don’t know.  Over a month ago, for sure...maybe a few months?  That’s - that’s kind of concerning.”

Logan nodded, seeming more somber than usual, and sat back in his seat, a thoughtful glint in his eye.

Roman started noticing something next, when he wrapped an arm around Virgil’s waist one day and realized he could run his fingers across Virgil’s ribs and hipbones.  Even his collarbones were sticking out.

_ (Why does he keep doing that?  And why hasn’t he mentioned anything yet?) _

The next time they went out on a date, they went to Starbucks.  Virgil sat there, just across the table but seeming so much farther, a black coffee sitting in front of him, already half-empty even though they’d barely sat down and he’d surely burned his tongue.

_ (Ouch, that’s hot.  Black coffee, though...appetite supressant and it boosts metabolism, if I’m remembering correctly.) _

Roman had ordered a pumpkin spice latte and a piece of chocolate cake.  He coaxed Virgil to have a sip of his drink and a few bites of the cake.

_ (Okay, that’s enough food for today.  No, I don’t want any more. Yes, I’m hungry, but no one needs to know.) _

It shouldn’t have been so hard to convince him to eat that little.

Roman could see Virgil concentrating hard on something.  He wanted to ask, but...he didn’t.

_ (How many calories was that?  God, it doesn’t even matter. It was too much anyway.) _

 

“When’s the last time you ate, kiddo?”

_ (Oh, no.) _

“...This morning.”

“He’s lying, Patton,” Logan chimed in.

“No, I’m not!” Virgil protested, though the rising panic in his voice gave him away.

“Virgil?” Roman prompted, his tone soft and gentle, comforting and familiar.  “Virgil, my love, please tell us the truth. When was the last time you ate something?”

Virgil sighed, glancing up at the ceiling as he thought about it.

_ (Um...was it yesterday?  No, that can’t be it...have I even eaten so far this week?  It’s Wednesday...oh.) _

“Uh, it was...I think it was on Sunday.  I had dinner. Salad.”

Patton frowned, his brow furrowing.  Logan just tilted his head to the side slightly, as if he was studying Virgil.

“So...you didn’t eat at all yesterday?  Or the day before?” Roman asked.

“No, I didn’t,” Virgil confirmed, his throat dry and his voice coming out a little rough.

“Virgil, I’ve been doing a lot of research, and I’ve shown my findings to Patton and Roman, and we believe you have an eating disorder of some sort.”

_ (Saying that makes it sound like this is unhealthy, but it’s not.  I’m going to be thin and beautiful and perfect and then maybe, maybe I can really believe them when they say they care about me.) _

Virgil shook his head.  “Nope, I’m fine.”

“You’re clearly not,” Patton said quietly.  “You’re starving yourself, kiddo, and it’s not healthy.  It’s dangerous.”

“Patton is right.  If you keep going like this, it will not end well.  Eating disorders can be fatal. I’d recommend looking into therapy,” Logan added.

_ (Well, I’m not stopping.  I’m not stopping until I’m nothing more than skin and bones.) _

“I’ll try to stop.  For you guys. And we’ll see about the therapy.”

Patton smiled, and Roman breathed a sigh of relief.

“Please let us know when you’re having trouble, okay?” Roman said, pressing a kiss to Virgil’s forehead.

_ (Oh, I won’t.) _

“I will.”

“As long as you try your best, that’s all we can ask,” Patton reasoned with an encouraging little grin.  “I’m proud of you for the effort, Virge.”

_ (Why would you be proud of me?  I’m still fat, and now I’m a liar too.) _

“Thanks, Pat.  I love you guys, okay?”

Logan still looked doubtful, like he didn’t quite believe Virgil’s  _ (empty) _ promises.

_(Empty stomach, empty words, empty smiles, empty eyes...)_  


_ (Well, just you wait.  I’m only getting started.) _


End file.
